The fourth and final suspect arrested in connection with the Rockland Trust Bank robbery in November pleaded not guilty in federal district court this week.
Tevin Porter, 27, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, was indicted by a federal grand jury on armed bank robbery, aiding and abetting and conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery. He had his first court hearing before a Connecticut federal court last week, and was arraigned in Massachusetts on Wednesday.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Mr. Porter was with Miquel Jones and Omar Johnson when they allegedly forced their way through the back door of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury on Nov. 17.
Authorities say that one of the men held a gun to an employee’s head and made them open the bank’s vault. They then took off with about $39,000, but not before allegedly binding bank employees and stealing one of their cars.
The three men then left the bank and drove to the state forest, according to officials. There they abandoned the car and got into another vehicle. Mr. Porter then allegedly left the Vineyard with Romane Clayton, another man who has been charged in the case.
Mr. Jones and Mr. Clayton received new, superseding indictments in the case as well this week. Mr. Jones is now charged with conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting. Mr. Clayton is charged with bank robbery and aiding and abetting.
Mr. Jones and Mr. Clayton also pleaded not guilty in a remote hearing Wednesday to the charges in the new indictment.
Mr. Jones was arrested in November by state police on-Island and was initially arraigned in Edgartown District Court. Mr. Clayton and Mr. Johnson were both arrested in Connecticut. Mr. Johnson was arrested on Nov. 25, and Clayton was arrested on Dec. 9.
Tisbury police said that Mr. Porter was the final suspect in the case.
“This was without a doubt one of the most serious crimes that can occur, and was an example that it can occur anywhere,” the department wrote in a statement last week. “We are grateful that we can officially close this lengthy investigation and put everyone’s mind at ease that all four suspects are in custody and will not pose a threat to anyone for a long time to come.”
Mr. Porter was ordered to be detained to await his next hearing. Mr. Jones and Mr. Johnson have remained in custody while Mr. Clayton was released on a court’s conditions, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A status conference was tentatively scheduled for May 4, though Mr. Porter’s attorney said he had a scheduling conflict.
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